Jones rivals set for medal boost

Thanou (right) may get the gold medal returned by Jones

Athletes who finished behind sprinter Marion Jones at the 2000 Olympics are set to move up the finishing order.
The American won five medals, including three golds, in Sydney but has returned them after admitting taking steroids.

The International Olympic Committee will consider next month if Katerina Thanou should be awarded a gold medal.

The Greek sprinter, who finished second to Jones in the 100m, was banned for two years after failing to appear for a drugs test at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

"This is a case we are going to discuss," confirmed IOC president Jacques Rogge.

Jones, who was the first woman ever to claim five medals at a single Olympics, won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m relay in Sydney.

She also won bronze medals in the long jump and 4x100m relay.

Rogge added: "Marion Jones has to be formally disqualified by the International Track and Field Federation and we will then endorse that, and she will be stripped of her title as Olympic champion.

"If there is no other difficulty, there is an automatic replacement of the disqualified athlete."

Jamaica's Tanya Lawrence took the bronze medal in the 100m in Sydney behind Jones and Thanou.

Jamaican Merlene Ottey was fourth in the race and is now in line for a medal.

Pauline Davis-Thompson is set to swap her silver medal for a gold having finished second to Jones in the 200m.

Susanthika Jayasinghe of Sri Lanka and Jamaican Beverly McDonald finished third and fourth respectively.

The IOC will also decide whether to strip the other members of the United States relay teams of their medals.

The United States Olympic Committee say they will abide by the IOC's decision on relay medals and not appeal.

Jamaica, Russia and Nigeria followed behind the United States in the women's 4x400m relay, while the American team edged out France to finish third in the 4x100m relay.